


from the city lights and sounds deep in the dark

by dogf1ght



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Dog - Freeform, Dogs, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Relationship of Convenience, Sadly, Well - Freeform, just one dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 20:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3704007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogf1ght/pseuds/dogf1ght
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>tyler has no where to go, and a lot of contacts in his phone. only four belong to people who will bring him in, and only one he wants to be with</p><p>(title taken from Settle Down by Kimbra)</p>
            </blockquote>





	from the city lights and sounds deep in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> This is really short, but I wanted to get in the mood to write something longer.
> 
> Inspired by: a conversation with workthewentz (like literally always), Settle Down by Kimbra, and a recent emotional and depressive episode.
> 
> If you know me in real life, please note:
> 
> My dad is not physically abuse please do not ask why I chose his name just run with it p l e a s e

Steve yells "You're a piece of shit!" in his (former?) lover's direction before Tyler slams the door and runs out, backpack clutched to his body. He's got thirty dollars, three water bottles, ear buds, his (slightly cracked) phone, his (slightly smashed) laptop, a charger cord, his wallet, and the stray dog that started the fight that ended it all. Tyler has decided to call him Ichor. 

 

He's got a job, though. A good job, a stable job. One to pay for a new piano (Steve smashed the old one), for the car Steve crashed during an emotional rampage because Tyler hugged his brother "too long" and he was leaving his "loving, long term relationship" and-

 

God, Tyler needs to slow down. 

 

He just needs to replace the things Steve broke, get back on his feet, and try to not kill himself again. Oh, and take care of that dog. That's all he needs right now. Everything else (the cut on his collarbones, the bruises on this hips, the scars on his thighs, the bite marks too deep in his neck) can wait.

 

After running for what feels like hours, he makes it to a run-down bookstore on the other side of town. It's raining lightly, and it's now, what? Three in the morning? Either way, it's totally dark out and Tyler needs a place to stay for however long it takes for him to call someone, anyone. Probably his mom.

 

But literally anyone is better than going back "home" to Steve, or staying in this rain. 

 

It takes fifteen minutes for Ichor to curl up onto his legs. It takes Tyler another five to get comfortable enough to start petting the damn thing.

 

He sighs. "Do you know how much trouble you're in?"

 

The dog simply pants in response, looking as happy as ever. That's right, Tyler thinks. The poor thing ran full speed with him the whole way. He can't be mad at a dog that does that.

 

By the time he finally picks up his god-forsaken phone, he just stares at his lock screen. It's a picture of him and Steve, last summer. The cracks stop just above Tyler's face. He's wearing his shirt along with his bathing suit.

 

"I don't feel comfortable," he told his family. (They believed him.)

 

"To cover last night's bruises," he told Steve. (It was the twenty-third time Steve had done it without lube. Tyler can still feel his fingers ghosting over his pale skin, as if Steve was touching him right now rather than the last time it happened.) (It was last night. Steve left a bruise from clutching Tyler's shoulder while he came.) 

 

"It's fine," He told himself. (It wasn't.)

 

Eventually, Tyler gets around to scrolling through his contacts. 

 

Jenna? They broke up years ago. They haven't been on speaking terms in a decade.

 

Mom? He doesn't want anyone to call the police.

 

Mark? No, he's asleep.

 

Josh? That could be his best bet, though they haven't spoken in a week. 

 

Does Tyler think Josh still wants to see him? No. 

 

Does Tyler care? Very much. 

 

Does Tyler care enough not to call at 4:49 in the morning? Not really. He's got a dog in tow, that's gotta guilt trip him into something.

 

His best friend picks up after the second ring. 

 

"Yo, Tyler. What's up bro, you okay?" He sounds sleepy. Ichor perks up at the sound at someone else's voice, but then immediately goes back to sleep.

 

Tyler sighs. "Not really, neither is this dog," He can feel Josh about to interrupt, so he talks faster. "Look, Steve...kicked me out. Can I stay at your place until I can afford somewhere to stay permanently? Until I find another job?"

 

Josh pauses. Tyler can hear the rustling of sheets, the sound of a light switch being flicked on. "Yeah man, please, come over. Stay as long as you need. You done for good?" Josh never liked Steve. In reality, neither did Tyler.

 

He thinks for a moment. "Yeah, I think we're done." He smiles and pets Ichor, who's now laying fully on his lap and sleeping like a dead man. 

 

Tyler can hear Josh's smile through the phone. "Good. You need me to pick you up?"

 

His legs suddenly feel weak. Running three miles does that to you. "Yeah. I'm at the old book shop near Sheridan."

 

Tyler can hear the closing of the doors and the clinking of keys. "I'll be there in fifteen. Hang tight."

 

"Thanks," the skinny (almost too skinny) man says, lolled to sleep by the sound of passing cars and the rhythmic breathing of his new pet.

**Author's Note:**

> shout out to my friend sarah for answering my late-night weird-as-hell skype message.
> 
> sorry this was short as fuck. I just wanted to write something again before I dipped back down into whatever writing this pulls me into


End file.
